to ask if you would use donated breastmilk if it was available rather than formula?

[bubbleymummy]

Inspired by another thread.

I personally would rather use donated milk. If you wouldn't - why not?

Lottie, the powder itself isn't sterile and many people make it up incorrectly ie. add cool boiled water to it rather than hot.

Carrot, it IS strange how we have a perception of cows' milk as normal but not other animals' milk. I remember feeling a bit odd when I first tried cheese made from sheep milk!

I would if it was screened and a system in place that ensured it was easily available when needed as I don't drive.

Fair enough Molly. I know some threads do gwt a bit heated about it but this wasnt intendedto be one of those! :)

I think it's a very interesting point about HIV. Don't we all get screened for it in our pregnancy blood tests in the uk though? So presumably you would know if you had HIV before you gave birth and were in a position to donate BM?

I planned on bfing both times but for various reasons it didn't work out. I used the readymade cartons, yes they are expensive and it was a relief when we were past that stage. I felt far more confident ff using the readymade stuff as most of the issues concerning ff seemed to relate to hygiene issues. I watched a friend counting out the spoonfuls of powder and getting annoyed when I interrupted her counting, another time she was upset because the kettle hadn't cooled. It just looked like too much of a faff and I didn't trust myself to get it right at 3 in the morning!

yes, or I certainly did anyway, but I believe that in some cases it can take 3 - 6 months for the HIV virus to be detected via blood screens. so I guess if while pg the door has been tested, and then blood tested again after the birth that would confirm there is no HIV present. But what if the mother declines the test while pg, and contracts it whilst pg but doesnt know, gets tested for HIV which doesnt show but she does have it IYSWIM?

I was born 10 weeks early in the 70s and was lucky to receive donated milk.

I'd use it, yes.

We were offered it in hospital for my twins, didn't do it. Cant really expalin but just didnt like the idea of it. Plenty of people in SCBU did use the bank milk though.

Women are tested for HIV/HEP/Syp etc when pregnant (unless you choose not to) The milk banks screen donors AGAIN before they are allowed to donate, then the milk is screened for everything including any bacteria or organisms before it is pasturised and given to the babies. They ask the same questions as they do before you are allowed to donate blood, drug use/other risk factors etc. You are not allowed to donate at all if you fall into any of the 'at risk' catagories, the same as blood donation.

Donors have to be very careful when expressing to make sure that the milk doesn't become contaminated with anything as if it does it will be thrown away by the lab, you have to be alot more careful than you would be if expressing for your own baby only. A donor also has to be a none smoker, if you have alcohol you can't express for 24 hours afterwards, you have to stick to a healthy diet and they also check what medications you are on, only things such as POP etc are ok and still donate.

Mothers milk banks are very very careful, they don't want your baby to contract anything any more than you do, this milk is provided to save lives and the donors are just normal women, women in the 'at risk' catagories can't donate anyway so the donors are no more at risk of contracting HIV as yourself or anyone else you know. This milk is safer than formula, formula isn't sterile 100% of the time and formula doesn't have any of the health benefits which bm does and with preemies formula can actually cause/raise the risk of complications. Accepting donor milk is safer/just as safe as accepting a blood transfusion for your baby, the donor is tested, the milk is tested and the milk is pasturised then tested again, blood doesn't get nearly as much treatment.

Blood donors are screened by questions and the blood is tested once only the donor is never tested prior to donation unless they have needed to be for a different reason, it's not required to be done to donate blood whereas it is a requirement to donate bm. The HIV transmission risk is alot higher with blood products than it is with bm anyway.

Yes I would, and I donate

yes I absolutely would and have given serious thought to donating some of mine.

Rika - if thats the case then I change my mind, I guess I would use donor bm if i had to. Think Id still be a bit wary of anything that might not be picked up though. However I would readily accept a blood transfusion, I suppose the difference is needing a blood transfusion would be a life or death situation.